PrC (DLC); unsigned, whether intentionally or merely by omission when PrC was executed cannot be determined in absence of RC, but probably the former; right margins frayed, affecting some words of text.

Although TJ had been in touch with the Order of the Mathurins for almost two years, this appears to be the first communication with the priest of the Order who held the title of “Général et Grand Ministre.” It clearly was the result of a conference held between TJ and Chauvier shortly after TJ received Jay’s letter of 23 Sep. 1788. On this subject see TJ to Adams, 11 Jan. 1787; TJ to Jay, 1 Feb. and 19 Sep. 1787, 11 Aug. 1788; TJ to Commissioners of the Treasury, 6 Sep. 1788; Chauvier to TJ, 30 Dec. 1788. TJ’s reference to the information he had about known living and dead among the Algerine captives on the 22d. of September 1788 determines a part of the nature of Richard O’Bryen’s missing letter to him of that date, whence he had obviously obtained this information. The prisoners’ “6th Petition to Congress,” dated only a few days earlier, 16 Sep. 1788, proves also that O’Bryen’s missing letter did not cover a copy of the petition, for that appeal listed the names of those who had died and of those who were still living. This list shows that, of the crew of the Dauphin (not Dolphin), nine were still alive, including James Patterson (not William Patterson) and two persons not mentioned by TJ, Andrew Montgomery, mate, and Jacobus Tessanier, mariner; and that, of the crew of the Maria, six were still alive, including (with one exception) those mentioned by TJ, together with Alexander Forsyth, mate, and John Gregory, mariner; the exception was Thomas Billings who is not mentioned among the living or the dead. The petition records the six deceased prisoners as belonging to the Dauphin: “Robert McGinnis died of the pest the 25th June 1787. John Dorin Died of the pest the 1st July Do. Peter Smyth Died the 18th of January Do. Passenger Capt. Zacharias Coffin of Nantucket Died the 2d November 1787. Edward O’Reilly Died with the pest the 6th June 1788 William Healing Died with the pest the 8th May 1788.” The petition expressed gratitude for “the Comfortable provision, that has been allowed us, and we are much indebted to your Ambassadors in Europe for their particular attention towards us which has helped to alleviate somewhat out sufferings”; it also acknowledged that Congress had been “Employed on affairs of more Importance, to the Future happiness, and welfare of the Rising Empire,” but hoped that, now that “the new Constitution of a future Government is formed and Ratified by the United States,” attention could be turned to matters abroad and particularly to their redemption (Tr in DNA: PCC, No. 59, III, 181–4, accompanied by Tr of an undated letter from O’Bryen to his principals, Messrs. Matthew & Thomas Irwin of Philadelphia, stating that he had addressed upwards of thirty letters to them without receiving a single reply and urging them to respond “under Cover to Mr. Carmichael the American Ambassador at Madrid or to Mr. Jefferson Esqr. American Ambassador at Paris”; Tr of the petition to Congress was sent to O’Bryen’s principals under cover of a letter from “Algiers the City of Bondage December the 20th. 1788,” also present in Tr—all of which were enclosed in Matthew Irwin’s letter to Washington, 9 July 1789; same). The petition is also confirmatory evidence that the efforts made by TJ to furnish subsistence and cloathing had succeeded, a fact which must have altered O’Bryen’s earlier opinion and must also have been acknowledged in the missing letter to TJ of 22 Sep. 1788.